BRUSSELS (Sputnik) – Russia will take the new configuration of NATO forces into account and will address the new security risks arising from the changing situation, Russia's envoy to NATO Alexander Grushko said.
"If we talk of today, I can only repeat that there should be a qualitative review of relations with Russia within NATO, a refusal to attempt to contain it, attempts to project its military force onto us using constant rotations, endless drills, the creation of additional groups and the position of missile defense facilities along our borders, increasing the level of military activity in the Baltic Sea and in the Black Sea," Grushko told journalists on Friday.
The Russian envoy stressed that Russia will take into account NATO’s new military planning in Europe.
According to Grushko, "all servicemen, including those of NATO, understand very well that the new reality created by new NATO planning will be taken into account by us [Russia] and on our part all the necessary military-technical measures will be taken to limit the risks related to the new configuration of forces that has appeared on our borders."
Prior to the activation of the site in Romania, the Russian Foreign Ministry warned that Russia reserves the right to respond to the deployment with adequate military-technical measures.
NATO has been increasing its presence in Eastern Europe since Crimea rejoined Russia in March 2014 following a referendum the West refused to recognize as legitimate, instead blaming Moscow for violating Ukraine's territorial integrity. Russia has denied the allegations and has repeatedly stated that the bloc's increased activities near its borders undermine regional and international stability.
